Nut-lock.



No. 756,010. PATENTBD MAR. 29, 1904. A. 0. FLETCHER.

NUT LOOK.

APPLICATION TILED OUT- 6, 1903..

N0 MODEL.

765W jweiaiwf W wag wi'ommeziez' g my Patented March 29, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT QEEICE.

ADDISON G. FLETCHER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

NUT-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 756,010, dated March29, 1904.

Application filed October 6,1903.

To all whom it Wmy concern:

Be it known that I, ADDISON C. FLETCHER, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, have invented new and useful Improvements in Nut-Locks, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to nut-locks; and the object of the invention isto provide a simple and inexpensive article of this character which canbe readily and easily applied and which in use effectually holds a nutfrom turning off its bolt. The last-mentioned term is employed in itsgeneric sense to include equivalent devices, such as rods havingthreaded ends capable of receiving nuts. The nuts may be of any form,but in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specification, it is shown as being ofthe hexagonal kind.

The improved device includes a coiled body, which is adapted to tightlygrip the threaded portion of a bolt at any convenient placesay at theouter end thereofthe coils of said body to secure it in place absolutelyagainst endwise movement being fitted in the grooves of. the bolt. Fromthe said bolt-gripping coiled body extends laterally one or morenutlocking projections, a novel form of which is hereinafter moreparticularly described. In the present instance there are two of theseprojections, which form continuations of the terminal helices or coilsof said body and the working portions of which engage the nut atseparated places, by reason of which each projection acts in oppositionto the other to prevent unwinding or u'ncoiling of said body.

At the same time said projections preclude rotation of the nut.

The improved article in the present case presents an. integral structureand .being preferably made of wire can be readily manu factured in largequantities by machinery. Said device is of particular utility inconnection with railways, in which use it is not necessary to change thestructure of the rails, fishplates, bolts, or nuts.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a nut-lockinvolving my in- SerialNo. 175,990. (No model.)

its nut associated therewith. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Like characters refer to like par-ts in both figures.

The improved device includes in its makeup a coiled body, as 2, havingone or more coils. In the adaptation of the device illustrated there arethree coils. The diameter of the coiled body 2 is slightly less thanthat of the bolt to which it is to be applied,

the body being driven onto the threaded portion of the bolt, duringwhich motion the same is slightly expanded, whereby when the said bodyhas reached the limit of its inward movement its coils or helices willtightly grip the bolt and lie in the grooves between the threads thereofin order to prevent endwise movement of the said body.

The body 2 is made from spring-wire of a gage to suit the particular useto which the lock is put. f

The terminal coils or helices of the body 2 have lateral projections,designated, respectively, in a general way by 3 and l, the projection 3being at the inner end of the body, while the projection 4 is at theouter end thereof. These projections are approximately of L form, andthey are so shaped as to avoid the presence of sharp angles, which wouldmaterially weakenthe wire from which the lock is made. One branch ofeach projection extends in the direction of the length of the axis ofthe coiled body and is adapted to engage an outer face of a nut, as 5,applied to the bolt 6. It will be seen that the working portions orefiective branches of the projections, which are each denoted by 7engage the nut at diametrically opposite sides thereof, so that upon thenut than would be the case were the said working portions of a singlestrand.

The inner branch of the outer projection 4 is of sinuous or serpentineform, thereby permitting a certain amount of universal flexibility ofthe same. are readily laterally flexible by reason of the several bendsin the same, so that the working portions 7 thereof can be separated toreceive a nut between them as the coiled body is driven home or towardthe outer face of the nut 5. The nut 5 is applied to its bolt 6 in theusual manner, after which the coiled body 2 is applied to and is thendriven along the bolt 6. When the working portions or branches 7 of theprojections 3 and 4 strike the nut, the branches will yield outward, soas to permit the body to be advanced until it strikes the nut, at whichtime the said branches or working portions of the two projections willhave straddled the nut, so as to firmly prevent turning of the same.

I prefer to make the hereinbefore-described nut-lock of spring-steelwire, thereby securing strength and at the same time a proper degree oflateral flexibility of the nut locking projections 3 and 4.

It will be obvious from the foregoing description that my improvednut-lock includes a coiled bolt-gripping body, one or each terminal-coilof which is provided with a lateral substantially L-shaped projection,the outer branch of each projection, when two of the latter areemployed, being arranged to engage the outer face of a nut. The innerbranches of these projections are doubled or bent upon themselves toproduce substantially U-shaped spring portions. By virtue of the springportions of the inner branches of the projections the nut-lock as awhole can be readily applied, the working portions of the nut-lockingprojections as they engage the nut on the application of the lock beingpressed slightly outward. When the lock is in its extreme inward oreffective position, the working portions of the branches will be sprunginward instantly into tight gripping engagement with two faces of thenut by the automatic action of the U-shaped bends or spring portions ofthe L-shaped nut-locking branches. Therefore the two functions set forthcan be obtained independently of the coiled bolt-gripping body and areimportant features. The outer branch of each projection 'is shaped topresent a plurality of nut-engaging portions, which in the present caseis secured by form- Both branches of course ing said outer branch into Ushape, so as to obtain a wide bearing against an outer face of a nut.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A nut-lock including a coiled bolt-gripping body, a terminal coil ofwhich has asubstantially L-shaped projection the outer branch of whichis arranged to engage the outer face of a nut and the inner branch ofwhich has a spring portion independent of the coiled bolt-gripping body,said spring portion serving to secure lateral resiliency of saidprojection.

2. A nut-lock including a coiled bolt-gripping body, a terminal coil ofwhich has a substantially L-shaped nut-locking projection the outerbranch of which is arranged to engage the outer face of a nut and theinner branch of which is doubled upon itself to present a springportion.

3. A nut-lock including a coiled bolt-gripping body, the terminal coilsof which have nut-locking projections of substantially L form, the outerbranches of said projections being of approximately U shape and servingto engage the side faces of a nut, the inner branch of one of theprojections being of sinuous or serpentine form.

4. A nut-lock including a coiled bolt-gripping body having lateral andsubstantially L- shaped nut-locking projections, the outer branch ofeach of which is arranged to engage the outer face of a nut and theinner branches of which have spring portions to secure lateralresiliency and a gripping action of the working portions of the branchesagainst said nutfaces.

5. A nut-lock including a coiled bolt-gripping body, a terminal coil ofwhich has a substantially L-shaped projection, the outer branch of whichconstitutes the working portion thereof and is shaped to present aplurality of nut-engaging portions, and the inner branch thereof havinga spring portion independent of the coiled bolt-gripping body to securelateral resiliency of the projection.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

ADDISON C. FLETCHER.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. REA, JAMES L. NORRIS.

